Denise Lewis

Denise Lewis OBE (born 27 August 1972, in West Bromwich) is a retired English track and field athlete, who specialized in the heptathlon. She won the gold medal in the heptathlon at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. Lewis was honored as Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2000 New Year Honours. Since retiring from athletics, she has been a prominent television and media personality, notably serving as a regular athletics pundit for BBC Television during several major athletic events including the London 2012 Olympics, Rio 2016 Olympics, and the 2015 World Athletics Championships.

Born in West Bromwich, to Jamaican-born parents, Lewis grew up in Wolverhampton and was educated at The Regis School in Tettenhall, which later became The King's School (Church of England). A £1 million sports hall was later built there and named in her honor. Besides her television roles, Lewis is also known for her contributions to broadcasting, having been a correspondent for major athletics events and presenting shows such as BBC’s "Secret Britain" and "Right on the Money." She also co-presented "The One Show" in 2015 and featured as a contributor on ITV’s "Give a Pet a Home."

Lewis was married to Belgian 200 meter-sprinter Patrick Stevens up until 2005. They have one daughter together. In 2006, Lewis married Steve Finan O'Connor, former manager of the UK pop group All Saints and son of comedian Tom O'Connor. The couple has three children. In addition to her media career, Lewis has engaged in diverse roles including the presentation of "Winners" for BBC Two and authoring the documentary "Matron, Medicine and Me" for the BBC. She has been involved in promoting diversity and anchored the Woman of the Year Awards in 2012.

Lewis has received numerous accolades throughout her career, including induction into the UK Athletics Hall of Fame in 2011 and the England Athletics Hall of Fame. She was the first recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award at the British Ethnic Diversity Sports Awards (BEDSA) in 2015. Additionally, she serves as President of Commonwealth Games England and works closely with charities including Breast Cancer Care and Sparks. Her continued involvement in sports, media, and charitable activities showcases her multifaceted career and commitment to various causes.